Professor N. Samajpati IMS Recognition Award
(31.01.1939 – 01.12.2024)
Professor Nirmalendu Samajpati was born on January 31, 1939. He completed his M.Sc from Calcutta University and obtained his Ph.D under one of the doyens of Mycology, Prof. S.N.Banerjee. Subsequently, he joined the Department of Botany, Calcutta University as Lecturer. In his career spanning 47 years, he served as Professor and Head, Department of Botany, Calcutta University and also as Hon. Faculty, in the Department of Seed Science & Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Calcutta University.
Prof. Samajpati made significant contributions in the physiology, biochemistry, nutritive value, nutraceutical value, molecular biology and cultivation of edible mushrooms. He also worked on other aspects such as ecto and endo mycorrhizal associations of several crops and forest trees. He formulated for the first time the microbial consortium which speeds up jute retting which was patented by him. He completed several research projects funded by Dept. of Agriculture, Govt. of W.B., ICAR, CSIR, DST and DBT. He supervised 49 students for their Ph.D (Sc), and published more than 155 papers in International and National Journals. He was awarded the Y.L. Nene Outstanding Plant Pathology Teacher Award of Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology (ISMPP) in 2016 and IPS Recognition Award in 2018 from Indian Phytopathological Society, IARI, New Delhi. On the basis of his contribution to the field of Mycology and Plant Pathology and to the cause of Indian Mycological Society, he was conferred posthumously the Prof. K.R.Samaddar Life Time achievement Award, 2024 during National Conference of IMS 2024 on 6th December 2024.
He was deeply involved in the Indian Mycological Society from its beginning and strove hard to make the Society a well established one. He held several posts in the Society and at the time of his demise, he was President of the Society as well as its Editor in Chief. Till the end, he was very involved in his work and was very meticulous in his editorial work. While in the Department, he also closely worked with other Societies of the Department. He was an excellent teacher and very well liked by all his students and colleagues. He was approachable, friendly and a true mentor to all his students. Forever a gentleman, he never had a harsh word for anyone. In his demise, we have lost an excellent teacher, guide and a true gentleman. He has left for his heavenly abode on December 01, 2024.
Prof .N. Samajpati IMS Recognition Award has been instituted by Indian Mycological Society Kolkata during 2024.
First Professor N. Samajpati IMS Recogntion Award 2025 was conferred on Professor Amar Nath Mukhopadhyay, former Vice Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam in recognition of his life time contributions in the field of Applied Mycology and Plant Protection, notably in the pioneering work on Biological Control which has provided a singular base for nonpesticidal management of plant disease at the Department of Botany, University of Calcutta on July 25,2025.
Professor Amar Nath Mukhopadhyay was born on March 12, 1940 at Katwa, West Bengal. He obtained his B.Sc.(Ag) in 1960, M.SC. (Ag) and Ph.D. degrees in the years 1960, 1962 and 1967, started his professional career as Instructor in Plant Pathology at Banaras Hindu University and later on joined as Assistant Professor in the department of Plant Pathology at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar and became Associate Professor in 1971.He was invited by the University of New Castle Upon Tyne, U.K. as a visiting Professor in 1977 under Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship. He became Professor and Head Plant Pathology at Gujarat Agricultural University, Anand in 1982 and later joined back the G.B. Pant Agricultural University as Professor and Head, Plant Pathology in 1984. Prof. Mukhopadhyay served as Dean, College of Agriculture at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology from the year 1992 to 1997. Prof. Mukhopadhyay has served as Vice-Chancellor, Assam Agricultural University during 1997-2000. Subsequently he was appointed Director General, Tea Research Association, Tocklai in 2000. Currently he is the Director Super Agro. India Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata and has been holding the position since 2005.
He has been actively involved in teaching and research for the last 4 decades. Prof Mukhopadhyay has been a teacher of rare distinction and has motivated innumerable students to choose Plant Pathology as their career. He has guided 15 Ph.D. and 20 M.Sc. scholars. He organized two Summer Institutes during 1993 & 1994 as Director. Prof. Mukhopadhyay is internationally known for his pioneering work on bio-control of plant diseases and has been instrumental in bringing Biocontrol of Plant Diseases in forefront of the agricultural research in the country and in the South-East Asia and South Asia. His work attracted massive funding from the Department of Biotechnology in the form of two research projects. He become a source of inspiration to innumerable young plant pathologist to persue the cause of biological control and popularization of this novel method of crop protection. Among his professional colleagues Prof. Mukhopadhyay is affectionately addressed as Father of Trichoderma.
Prof. Mukhopdhyay’s pioneering work on the biological control has provided a singular base for nonpesticidal management of plant diseases, which is now fast going small scale industry in the country. Prof. Mukhopadhyay is the principal author of the modern theory of biological control of plant pathogens by Trichoderma. He is the Chief Architect who pioneered the use of Trichoderma as an affective biocontrol agent in India. It is entirely due to his innovative ideas and leadership that biological control by Trichoderma has become an integral part of sustainable agriculture in India and beyond.
His active association with industry even after his retirement from service led to development of two commercial formulations (Trichostar and Harzina Gold) of Trichoderma based products which have created revolution for management of wide range of plant diseases. Prof. Mukhopadhyay’s four decades of experience as Plant Pathologist resulted in eight outstanding books in Plant Pathology published by Prentice Hall, U.S.A. and CRC Press Inc. U.S.A. He has published more than 130 research papers in journals of national and international repute.
In view of his outstanding contributions, various awards and honours were conferred on him. Prof. Mukhopadhyay is recipient of the Professor M.J. Narashimhan Academic Award (1972) and Professor M.S. Pavgi Award (1990). He was invited to present his research work and chair sessions at several international meets in countries like U.S.A, U.K., Canada, France, Singapore, Hongkong, Italy, Malaysia, Philippines, Switzerland and Thailand. He has held several prestigious positions like Editor-in-Chief, Indian Journal of Mycology and Plant Pathology (1984-86) , President of the Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology (1986-87), President of Indian Phytopathological Society (1995) and President of Agriculture Section of the Indian Science Congress (1996). WHO (Geneva) and Federation of American Scientists (U.S.A.) elected him as a Member of the Working Group on Emerging Plant Diseases in 1993 in Geneva. National Academy of Agriculture Sciences honoured him by electing as a Fellow in 1995. The Academy honoured Prof. Mukhopadhyay by electing as a member of the Executive Council for the year 2000-2003 and 2010-2012. Prof Mukhopadhyay is not only an excellent teacher and researcher but also an administrator of the first order, During his tenure as Dean, College of Agriculture at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology from 1992-1997, the college made tremendous progress on all fronts. Assam Agricultural University received significant boost after Prof. Mukhopadhyay took over as Vice-Chancellor on May 7, 1997.
Accolades and honours continue to be showered upon Prof. Mukhopadhyay.The more recent being distinguished Alumini Award of Banaras Hindu University, 2008; Lifetime. Achievement Award 2008 of Agricultural and Horticultural Development Society; Dr. N. Prasad Memorial Lecture Award of Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology 2009; coveted Lifetime Achievement Award of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology and Uttrakhand Council of Science and Technology 2009; Recognition Award of Indian Phytopathological Society, 2010; Lifetime Achievement Award of Indian Society of Mycology and Plant Pathology; 2012, Lifetime Achievement Award of Indian Phytopathological Society (ME), 2013; Lifetime Achievement Award of Asian PGPR Society, 2014; Dr. A.P. Misra Lifetime Achievement Award of Indian Phytopathological Society, 2016; Dr. K.C. Mehta Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences for outstanding contribution in Plant Protection, 2017. More recently Prof. Mukhopadhyay was conferred Honorary Doctorate of Sciences (D.Sc.) by North Bengal Agric. University in 2020 for his remarkable contributions in the field of Agric. through promotion of Biopesticides. Prof. Mukhopadhyay was conferred Honorary Doctorate of Science (D.Sc.) by Rajasthan Agriculture University, Bikaner 2023 for his outstanding contribution in the field of Agriculture Sciences specially for plant Protection.The society for promotion of microbes at NBAIM conferred the first life time achievement award on Dr. Mukhopadhyay in June, 2024.